Summary

It is 4:35 a.m. as Namin recalls the childhood trips to her grandparents’ house. The family used to pack into a crowded bus with bundles of hot traditional Korean food to take to their relatives. These trips stopped once Hyun was born. Namin never fully understood why the family could not talk about Hyun. She remembers the exact day when he was sent away; she was seven years old. Her mother told her to say goodbye to Hyun, and Namin assumed it was just for the afternoon. She was glad to have the quiet of the house to play with her dolls. When Namin's mother returned, Namin asked where Hyun was. “Hyun needs to stay in the country awhile. He has more room with your grandparents. He’ll be more comfortable there,” (86) her mother told her. This made Namin realize that “families...